This invention relates to foot gear which has a particular use for downhill skiers.
Downhill skiers generally arrive at ski lodges wearing street shoes or conventional foot gear designed for customary walking. Typically, upon arrival at the ski slope such foot gear is removed by the skier and checked at the ski lodge.
At the lodge, conventional ski boots having an outer relatively rigid upper and sole, are worn by the skier who walks clumsily through the ski lodge and across the snow toward the ski lift area, or other terrain to be skied.
Once the skier has reached the desired locale, the wearer then fastens the conventional ski boots to the skis, generally by the use of associated specialized bindings.
It has been long been known in downhill and cross country skiing, winter mountaineering and similar outdoor situations to wear gaiters to protect the skier's feet and lower legs against penetration of snow or other moisture. Such gaiters are typically made of fabric that is wrapped around the lower leg or boot or shoe top, and secured with releasable fasteners. Hooks on the bottom of such gaiters engage boot or shoe laces to hold such gaiters in place at their bottom. However, with such gaiter designs, significant snow or other moisture penetration may occur around the bottom of the gaiters.
Various boot and gaiter designs have been developed for the skiing environment.
One such boot for in-lodge wear is disclosed in Negrin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,889 issued on Dec. 1, 1981. Negrin discloses a boot suitable for after skiing which comprises in one embodied form a sole portion, and an exterior vamp portion connected to the sole portion. The exterior vamp portion is connected at the top to form a turned-over portion and an interior layer continuous with the turned-over vamp portion is fabricated to provide a chamber between the exterior portion and interior layer. The chamber is stated as being closed and inaccessible to the exterior environment. The Negrin footwear may be worn after skiing and either be knee high or ankle high type.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,355 issued to Annovi on Jun. 20, 1986, describes a ski boot with aerated padding of differing degrees of softness. In one embodied form, the boot is constructed with an outer rigid upper and soft insole possessing the variable softness features in different areas of the skier's foot. The surface of the soft insole in contact with the inner surface of the upper and/or the skier's foot comprises a plurality of projections having their tips in contact with the inner surface of the rigid and/or skier's foot. The spatial distribution of the projections over the contact area is stated to serve the varying degrees of softness of the insole without the need for varying the density of the material.
Baptista et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,597 issued Sept. 24, 1985 describes a snow shield foot and leg insulator. In one embodied form, the Baptista apparel consists of an inner cloth tube for engagement with a foot and a leg and an outer cloth tube that has its top edge attached to the top edge inner cloth tube forming a seam, and a top sleeve for securing the seam, the leg and a bottom sleeve for securing the bottom edge of the outer cloth tube over the top portion of the boot to prevent snow from seeping into the top portion of the boot.
Diegelman in U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,098 issued July 24, 1984, describes a gaiter with improved moisture penetration protection. As embodied in one form the gaiter includes an upper fabric portion configured to be wrapped around a leg of a wearer. The upper fabric portion includes a releasable means for fastening the fabric portion around the leg. The upper fabric portion has a lower edge. The flexible water-impervious gasket configured to conform closely to a shoe worn by the wearer has an upper rim. A gasket is fastened to the thick fabric portion by means of a seam around the lower edge of the fabric portion. The lower edge of the fabric portion is folded up to lie against the rim of the gasket. The seam fastens the folded up lower edge against the lower rim of the gasket.
Other known foot gear is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,596,814; 4,516,336; 2,901,840; 1,651,634; 4,034,580; 4,204,345; French Pat. Nos. 208343 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,457,645; 3,044,188; 2,703,937; 3,264,761 and 3,410,004.
Each of the foregoing patents are related to specialized boot structures, inner socks and gaiters. Each of these foregoing disclosures is specifically incorporated herein by this reference.
While addressing the specialized environment of skiing terrain, and particular components for the environment, the foregoing known foot gear does not lend itself to multi-purpose function. Specifically, those skilled in the art have recognized a significant need for convenient multi-purpose foot gear which provides flexible and comfortable foot gear for the skier for indoor and outdoor walking prior to reaching the desired terrain for skiing, and affords the wearer good leg insulation and snow shield upon arrival at the selected skiing site. The present invention fulfills these needs.